Burial-casket



O. M. ALLEN.

BURIAL GASKET.

(No Model.)

No. 579,944 Patented Apr 6, 1 897.

Inusntor,

Witn assas:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR M. ALLEN, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

BURIAL- CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,944, dated April 6, 1897.

Application filed September 9,1895- Serial No. 561,874. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OSCAR M. ALLEN, acitizen of the United States, residing at the city of Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burial-Caskets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in burial-caskets or coffins; and it relates more particularly to a means of attaching and adjusting the cover of the same.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a Simple and efficient means of atcaching the cover to the coffin which will permit of the same being adjusted and located in various positions when it is opened; second, to provide in a burial-case or coflin a lid which can be raised from the coflin and adj usted in position without disturbing any flowers or decorations which may be put upon the lid or upon the remaining portions of the coffin when the lid is not the full size of the top of the coftin. I accomplish these objects of my invention by the devices and means shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side perspective view of a burial-casket embodying all the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the cover raised. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section-line. showing the cover in the raised position. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the same line, showing the cover closed. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of one of the hinge-plates and stops for attaching the cover to the casket.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the lettered parts of the drawings, A is the body portion of the casket or burial-case, of any form desired. B is the cover to the same. Toward the central part of the cover are located hinge-plates E, and to the rear portion of the face-glass and to each side of the same are located other hinged plates E, all of which have shoulder stop porrions E. Pivoted to the hinge-plates E, connecting the cover and body together, are parallel links 0, positioned to rest against the stops E at both ends when the lid is raised.

A hook D is pivotally connected to the forward portion of the lid B and is adapted to hook under the links 0 to retain the same in place. Slots F F are cut into the casing to each side of the face-glass, and corresponding slots F F are cut in the under side of the cover B.

Having thus described the parts and their connection, I will now point out the operation of the various parts.

When the cover is down and the coffin or casket is closed, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the links 0 fold between the cover and the top casing of the casket, and the cover is then fastened in place by any suitable means. lVhen it is desired to raise the cover, it is lifted up, the links causing it to move into a substantially parallel position. It is then carried to the rear, and the hook D toward the forward part of the cover B is hooked under the links 0 (or one of the links C) and retains the cover in the horizontal position a considerable distance above the top of the casket, thus permitting of an opening of the casket without in any way disturbing any decorations on the cover or on the top of over the entire top. WVhen it is desirable, the cover B can be adjusted in various positions on account of its being hinged to the links 0 O, which adjustments are so obvious that any further explanation will be unnecessary.

It will be readily observed by those skilled in the art that the construction of my improved burial-cask et can be greatly varied in its details without departing from myinvention.

The stops E need not necessarily be a part of the hingeplates E, but may be independent of the same. The construction shown, however, shows the greatest merit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a burial-casket, the combination of the body, A; the cover, 13; parallel, equal links, 0, C, pivoted at E E and connecting the body portion to the cover stops E for arresting the motion of said links, so that the cover can be raised and adjusted in the horizontal position above the body portion; and a hook,

the same where the cover does not extend D, on said cover to engage a link, 0, to retain the cover in place, as described.

2. In a burial-casket, the combination of the body, A; the cover, 13; parallel, equal links, 0, C, hingeplates, E, formed with stops for links, 0, O, on said body and cover to which said links are connected to connect the body and cover together; a hook, D, pivoted to said cover, B, to engage the links, 0, the said covenand body having slots, F, F, to receive the said links between them so that the cover can be closed and raised or adjusted above the body of the casket, as specified.

3. In a burial-casket the combination of the body portion; the lid portion; folding supports connecting said body portion and lid portion together; and stops for holding the said supports adjusted in an elevated position whereby the lid portion is held snbstantially horizontal above the said body portion so that the said lid or cover shall serve continuously as a support for decorations or flowers laid thereon and so that the cover can 

